Humanising the Energy Transition and “Consumer Readiness Level”
September 19, 2019
Humanising the energy transition involves thinking about the complex and diverse nature of human beings. This is something that must be considered to ensure an energy solution is taken up by the market. So how do start-ups and innovations manage this? In traditional innovation scenarios it was important to think about the “Technology Readiness Level” but what about the “Consumer Readiness Level”? We asked two of our start-ups and this is what they told us:
Modio AB
“We believe in building solutions that are not dependent on user competence or readiness level. That is why we design solutions that are not meant to be serviced in any way by the end user. This means that the end user can focus completely on the problem they want to solve, without worrying if the system they are using has the right level of security or if it is updated the way it is supposed to be.”
The success that this thinking brings has been evident for Modio AB, a Swedish start-up that supplies secure, automatic and continuously updated embedded devices and IoT systems. Their product, Modio IoTOS™, a system that digitalise energy systems and security functions in buildings so they can be remotely monitored and managed, has been deployed in 400 buildings in Sweden, India and parts of East Africa.
SEEDiA
“At SEEDiA we focus on designing not so much for the client, but together with the client – products that we create, are created in cooperation with clients in the process of continuous research of their needs.”
This Polish company delivers smart public furniture that uses solar panels that to provide numerous benefits to the user. For example, their public benches provide: USB and wireless chargers with up to 120 hours of charging time, free WIFI and mobile hotspot access, smog detectors, LED lights and much more. The company also makes smart bins, interactive kiosks and bus shelters. Their products have already been deployed worldwide- in many cities within Poland, Toronto, Canada, Athens, Greece, at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England as well the benches are now available in the United States.
Meet these start-ups and 150+ more from four different market segments: Electricity & heat production, grid and infrastructure, energy consumption and feedstock and fuels. Also, hear from key experts such as: Dr. Steven Chu, 12th United States Secretary of Energy, Nobel Prize – 1997 Physics, Mary Robinson, Former President of Ireland, UN Special Envoy on Climate Change, Bill Weihl, Board of Directors- Sierra Club Foundation, former Director of Sustainability- Facebook and Green Energy czar- Google, Martha Broad, Executive Director, MIT Energy Initiative and more during the “Humanising the energy transition round table” at The Business Booster. In the meantime, be sure to follow #TBB2019 over on social media to make sure you don’t miss our updates.